John Ashcroft, Torture, And Some DU Oldies-But-Goodies

[NashVegas]

I have a feeling Asscrack is going to be up to his eyebrows in shit, and before very long.

The following story excerpts were found in the old forum archives.

1. Posted by Owsley

From the Boston Metro, 22 Oct 2001:

FBI may disregard civil rights in terror probe

Washington, D.C.

FBI spokespersons said yesterday that they may have to disregard civil liberties in order to extract information from jailed al Qaeda suspects, the Washington Post reported. Traditional incentive-based methods have thus far been unsuccessful, and federal authorities may use drugs or pressure tactics on the suspects or extradite them to countries where torture and blackmail of family members is allowed. (Metro)


2. posted by RoxanneJ

Among the alternative strategies under discussion are using drugs or pressure tactics, such as those employed occasionally by Israeli interrogators, to extract information. Another idea is extraditing the suspects to allied countries where security services sometimes employ threats to family members or resort to torture.

Under U.S. law, interrogators in criminal cases can lie to suspects, but information obtained by physical pressure, inhumane treatment or torture cannot be used in a trial. In addition, the government interrogators who used such tactics could be sued by the victim or charged with battery by the government.

Last week, Ashcroft testified on the Hill that no laws were breached, while refusing to turn over internal memos on the subject. The above stories, from late October 2001, indicate there was frustration within the Justice Department.

Some of you may recall an attempt to start a public discourse on allowing the use of torture, in one case, made by that reknownced champion of the US constitution, Alan Dershowitz (posted by NNN0LHI):

(CBS) Is there a place in the U.S. justice system for torture?

Alan Dershowitz, the civil libertarian defender of O.J Simpson, believes the law should sanction torture so it may be applied in certain cases, such as terrorist acts.

In a report to be broadcast Sunday on 60 Minutes, Dershowitz tells Correspondent Mike Wallace that torture is inevitable. “We can’t just close our eyes and pretend we live in a pure world,” he says.

After the events of Sept. 11, with many al Qaida members in custody, Dershowitz says he wants to bring the debate to the forefront. He gave the “ticking bomb” scenario - a person refusing to tell when and where a bomb will go off – as an example of the type of case warranting torture.<snip>

...more...


http://www.cbsnews.com/now/story/0,1597,324751-412,00.shtml

That discourse, however, went nowhere. It was a subject the American people weren't ready to deal with.

Apparently, Aschroft and the rest of the fucks took silence for consent, a bully's ultimate mistake.